Longtime leader in nursing field, Marilyn Dyer-Whelan dead at 69

Marilyn Dyer-Whelan, a longtime leader in the field of nursing, died Thursday, Oct. 4, 2001. She was 69.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Llano Cemetery with the Rev. John Bridwell officiating. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia St.

Mrs. Dyer-Whelan had recently retired as the Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Texas at Brownsville. She was employed at the Northwest Texas Hospital School of Nursing as an instructor in 1960.

She became the Director of the School of Nursing in 1962 and remained in that position until 1985. She joined the faculty of West Texas State University when the WT nursing program began in 1970.

In 1972, she started the first LVN to RN transition program in Texas. She served as Chair of Diploma Programs for the National League of Nursing where she participated on committees, including curriculum development and the Board of Review for the national accreditation program.

She authored numerous articles for national publications and co-authored the nursing textbook, "The Illustrated Manual of Nursing Techniques" with fellow Amarillo nursing educator Eunice King.

In 1987, she was named the Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Texas at Brownsville. Her efforts gained support for new programs, equipment and scholarships. She helped establish a partnership with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio's School of Health Sciences.

That partnership created the first Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing for students in the Lower Rio Grande Valley through interactive video classrooms. This program was a springboard for the creation of the University's own Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree completion program for registered nurses.

Last year, she led the effort that resulted in UTB receiving approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for a Master of Science degree in Public Health Nursing. Her many accomplishments helped the UTB School of Nursing to develop faculty positions paid for by area hospitals.

She served as Dean of the School of Nursing at UTB until her retirement in August 2000. She was born and raised in Ohio, receiving a Bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Cincinnati in 1954 and a Master's degree of Nursing from Ohio State University in 1959.

She was preceded in death by two sons, Craig and Mark.

Survivors include her husband, Richard Whelan; two daughters, Melinda Dyer of San Antonio and Cherilyn Morrison of Austin; three sons, Dr. Keith Dyer and Trent Dyer, both of Amarillo, and Brooke Dyer of Goleta, Calif.; two brothers, Jim Bergholt of Georgia and Edward Bergholt of Michigan; and eight grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the funeral home.

The family suggests memorials be to West Texas A&M University, School of Nursing, WTAMU Station, Canyon, TX 79016.